Serbian and ethnic Albanian leaders ended a year of fruitless negotiations over Kosovo at the weekend, meaning that the dispute over what becomes of the province in the southern Balkans will be decided by the UN security council.

More than 60 years after their homes were turned into infernos by US B-29 bombers, a group of Tokyo residents has demanded compensation from the Japanese government for starting the war and not acting quickly enough to end it.

Democratic civilian rule is on the brink of being restored to Mauritania after a landmark free election in the vast north African country which has seen little stability since winning its independence from France more than 40 years ago.

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A cylindrical glass tower etched with the names of 191 victims of Europe's worst attack by Islamists was unveiled yesterday as a monument to those killed by 10 bombs planted on Madrid trains three years ago.

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